Distributor for lubricators



Sept. 25 1923. v459-2 T. E. COLEMAN` DISTRIBUTOR FOR LUBRICATORS Filed Sept. 23 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 SHQ: neas,y

Sept. 25 1923.

T. E. COLEMAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR LUBRIGAToRs Fglled Sept. 25, 1920Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. E. COLEMAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR LUBRICATORS Sem. 25, 1923. msnz Fiigd sept. 25, 1920 s sheets-sheet vo/emlz,

Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

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THOMAS E. COLEMAN, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

DISTRIBUTOR FOR LUBRICATORS.

Application led September 28, 1920. Serial No. 412,135.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E.' COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of lifisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Distributors for Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to lubricators and more particularly to a distributor mechanism for force feed lubricators.

The main object of the invention is to provide means whereby a pump element is employed to force the lubricant to a plurality of points to be lubricated, the arrangement being such that the lubricant will be forced under equal pressure successively to each point or bearing. A. further object resides in so constructing the mechanism that the same driving element which actuates the pump likewise actuates the distributor element, the parts being so interconnected and driven that the pump functions to force the oil as each distributor port is brought into communication with the discharge of the pump.

With these and other objects in view reference will be made to the annexed drawings, wherein,--

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the structure; A

Fig. 2 a, vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a top plan view of the main casting of the distributor;

Fig. 4 a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 5 a like View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

ig. 6 a sectional elevation of the main casting and the rotatable distributor element;

Fig. 7 a perspective view of the main castin as seen from the outer face thereof;

ig. 8 a perspective view of the distributor;

Fig. 9 a sectional view illustrative of a modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 a top plan view of a further modified form; A

Fig. 11 a side elevation thereof, partly broken away;

Fig. 12 a sectional elevation, the plane of the section being denoted by the line XII-XII of Fig. 11;

Fi 13 a side elevation of the distributor mem er employed in this last form; and

Fig. 14 a perspective view of a further modified form of distributor.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, 1 denotes a reservoir of any approved type adapted to contain the lubricant to be forced to the points to be lubricated. The pump casing is denoted by 2 and the cylinder thereof is preferably controlled by an adjustable sleeve 3, in the manner set forth and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,262,979, dated April 16, 1918. The piston 4 of the pump is connected by a yoke 5 which functions with a Wabhling eccentric 6 mounted on a shaft 7 and driven by a collar or sleeve 8 which in turn is pinned to the reduced end of a shaft 9 formed as an extension of a gear or pinion 10. The pump may be of any approved type, that shown being so constructed that the piston is oscillated so as to bring spill ports into register when the .piston has caused the discharge of fixed or regulated quantity of oil. The intake of the pump is shown as a pipe ll that extends down to the lower portion of the reservoir, the pipe being shown as broken away.

The distributor may be said to comprise a distributor element or casting from which lead pipes or conduits extending to the points to be lubricated and to which casting the discharge pipe 12 of the pump is connected, and a rotatable controlling element or distributor proper which successively connects the ports communicating with the lead pipes to the pump discharge. The distributor casting, see Fig. 7, comprises a head 13, a face plate 14, and a bearing 15, in which shaft 9 finds its bearing. In the present instance the distributor is provided with four outlets 16, 17, 18 and 19, and an inlet 20 into which pipe 12 is threaded.

The outermost surface of the face plate 14 is finished smooth anda series of ports or openings 21, 22, 23 and 24 formed therein at different distances from the center of the plate communicate with the outlets 16, 17, 18 and 19, through channels 25, 26, 27 and 28. A port or opening 29 formed in the face plate communicates through channel 30 with the inlet opening 20, said port being arranged nearest the edge of the plate. Co-

operating with said face plate is a rotary' element which has suitable ports and passages which successively connect the inlet port 2O with the other ports 21, 22, 23 and 24.

that t 4 Said element is best shown in Fig. 8, and that face thereof which bears directly against the finished face ot element 14 is like Wise smooth, said faces being held in contact by a screw 31 passing freely through said rotatable element and into a hub 32 formed as a part of' the distributor castin A spider spring 33 carried by the bolt ten s to hold the rotatablel element closely to the face plate, though its presence is not essential except where the oil is forced under high pressure. The rotatable element in the form illustrated comprises a gear 34 and a disk-like facing plate 35, thetwo elements being sweated or otherwise secured together.

The face of the gear 34 which lies next adjacent the disk has formed therein, prior to the securing of the disk to the plate, four radially disposed channels 36, 37, 38 and 39, which channels form the connections respectively, between ports 40 and 41, 42 and 43, 44 and 45, and 46 and 47, formed in the disklike plate 35.

These various ports are curved and concentric with the axis of the rotatable distributor element or valve as it may be termed.

The outer ports 40, 42, 44 and 46 are of the same length and at the same distance from the center so that they will successively register with the inlet port 29 to which oil is supplied from the pump and remain in register therewith for like periods of time. The other lports 41, 43, 45 and 47 are so shaped ey register respectively and successively with the ports 21, 22, 23 and 24, as the A valve-like member is rotated. Being different distances from the center the ports 41, 43, 45 and 47 are made of different lengths, the innermost one 41 being the shortest and the others increasing in length as they occupy a position nearer the periphery. Thus the travel of each of the discharge ports in the valve occupies the same interval of time or registry with the discharge ports in the distributor head so that the same quantity of oil passes to each of the outlet openingsA 16, 17, 18 and 19.

Gear 34 meshes with gear or pinion 1U, the ratio being 4 to 1 so that for each complete revolution of said pinion 10 the gear 34 and its attached distributor plate or valvelike member will be moved through 90. At the same time the pump will have effected an intake and discharge stroke, the discharge taking place when any one of the ports 21 to 24 is brought into communication with the pump discharge port 29.

Shaft 9 may be driven in any suitable manner as by a power shaft 48 (Fig. 1) which may be operated manually or mechanically.

It is thought that the operation will be clear from the toregoingl description; sufce it t0 Say that the discharge openings 16 Lacasse to 19 are successively supplied with oil underA pressure by reason of the successive regietration of the ports in the valve member` with the pump dischargeport 29 and the respective discharge ports 21 to 24 in the discharge head. While four discharge openings are illustrated it is manifest that the 'structure lends itself to the supply of a greater or less number, the gear ratio being changed accordingly. So, too, the construction may be adapted to an embodiment wherein with the gear ratio shown 4two pumps may be operated to supply eight outlets, three pumps to supply twelve outlets, and f'our pumps for sixteen outlets.

In Fig. 9 a slightly di'erent embodiment is illustrated. In this instance the rotatable distributor designated by 49, and having the form of a gear as under the former arrangement, is provided with through ports 50, 51, etc.,'arranged at different distances lfrom its center, the ports being curved concentrically. The distributor is located between a head 52 having a radially disposed elongated inlet port 53 which is in communication with the inlet pipe 54 leading from the pump, and a distributor head 55, said head having ports similar in arrangement and position to the ports 21 to 24 before described, one of said ports designated by 57a being shown. The timing and operation of the parts is the same as that described under the first described form.

In Figs. 10 t`o 13 inclusive, a still further modification v is shown, the construction being somewhat similar in its general arrangement to that disclosed in Fig. 9. Under this arrangement a head 57 having an inlet opening 58 leading from the pump, is employed, the opening terminating in a port 59 which is the equivalent of the pump port 29 in the form first described. A distributor head 60 having outlet ports 61, 62, 63 and 64, leading to openings in the upper portion of the head to which the distribution pipes may be connected, is provided, and between said head 57 and the distributor head 60 there is mounted a rotatable distributor element 65. Said element takes the form of a gear and is journaled upon a bolt 66 which passes through the head 57 through an opening formed in the gear and into a threaded opening formed in the distributor head. Said gear is driven through a pinion 10 as under the former constructions. The port 59 leading from the pump and the outlet ports 61 to 64 inclusive, bear the same relative relation as do the ports in the constructions first described, and in order to effect the proper distribution of the oil successively from the pump port to the distribution ports the gear 65 is provided with through slots of the form best shown in Fig. 13. Each of these slots may be said to comprise an outer portion 67, which is concentric to the axis of the distributor member or gear, another member 68 which is likewise concentric and arranged different distances froin the center of the gear so that they will register respectively with the ports 61 to 64 inclusive. The slots or openings 67 and 68 are connected by cross slots 69, which are so formed that at no time will the outer slots 67 and the inner slots 68 overlap or be opposite any port other than the pump port and the respective outlet port which the particular slot 68 is designed to communicate with. The length'of the innermost slots 68 is such that each will permit a given quantity of oil to be forced through the outlet or discharge port with which 1t functions; that is to say, each distribution port will receive a quantity of oil upon an impulse of the pump equal to that distributed or forced to any other outlet port. Moreover, the arrangement is such that during every pressure stroke the main inlet port of the distributor and one of the outlet ports registering with a groove in the distributor or gear are open and they close as soon as the intake stroke of the plunger begins, thus preventing sucking back of any oil which might otherwise occur.

In Fig. 14 a further modification is shown, wherein a plate 35, corresponding to the plate 35 of the irst described construction, is secured to a gear 34a and forms the distributor element. This plate 35a is, as under the construction first described, spot welded or otherwise secured to the gear 34 and it is provided with grooves or channels, similar in form to those shown in Fig. 13. It is designed to be placed against the face plate or element as 14 in the construction first described, and does away with the necessity of providing cross connecting slots as 86 to 39 inclusive (Fig. 8) in the face of the gear. In other words this element is a mechanical equivalent of the distributor element, best shown in Fi 4 and 8, and may be substituted there or without change in the otherv parts of the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. In a force feed lubricating system the combination of a pump having an intake port and a discharge port for the lubricant; a distributor in direct communication with the discharge port of the pump for successively controlling the passage of oil from such discharge port; a plurality of conduits in communication with the points to be lubricated, said conduits being successively supplied with oil through the operation of the distributor; and means for actuating the pump and distributor in timed relation.

2. In a force feed lubricating system the Vcombination of a pump having an intake and a discharge port for the lubricant; a rotary distributor in direct communication with the discharge port of the pump for successively controlling the passage ot' oil from such discharge port; a plurality of conduits in communication with the points to bc lubricated, said conduits being successively supplied with oil through the operation of the distributor; and means for rotating the distributor and actuating the pump in proper time and sequence.

3. In a force feed lubricating system the combination of a pump having an intake port and a discharge port for the lubricant; a rotary distributor having ports therein adapted to be directly connected in succession with the discharge port of thc pump; a pluralit of conduits leading to the points to be lubricated, said conduits being successively supplied with oil through the operation of the rotary distributor; and means for rotating the distributor and actuating thc pump in timed relation. i

4. In a force feed lubricating system the combination of a pump having an intake port and a discharge port for the lubricant; a casting having a face through which the discharge port of the pump opens; a p1urality of conduits, each conduit communi cating with a separate port, said lat-ter ports likewise opening through said face; a rotary distributor bearing against the face aforesaid, said distributor having ports and passages therein adapted to directly connect the pump discharge port successively With the conduit ports; and means for actuating the distributor.

5. In a force feed lubricating system, the combination of a pump having an intake and a discharge port for the lubricant; a casting having a face through which the port opens; a plurality of conduits, each conduit communicating with a separate port, said latter ports likewise opening through said face; a rotary distributor bearing against the face aforesaid, said distributor having ports and passages'therein adapted to directly connect the pump discharge port successively with the conduit ports; and means for actuating thc distributor and pump in unison.

6. A distributor for lubricators comprising in combination a casting having a flat smooth face with a plurality of ports opening through it; one of said ports being solely a supply port and through which the lubricant Hows in one direction only and the others discharge ports leading to the points to be lubricated; a disk-like clement making close contact with the face aforesaid and provided with interconnected ports to directly connect the supply port aforesaid with the discharge ports successively; and means for rotating said disk-like element over the smooth face against which it bears.

7. A distributor for lubricators comprising in combination a cast-ing having one side dressed to produce a finished face with a A'series of ports opening therethrough, said orts being spaced at diierent istances rom the center toward the ed e of said face, one of said ports being an oi supply port; a disk-like member imposed against the finished face, said member having a series of curved ports adapted to register successively with the oil sup ly port aforesaid, and other ports arrange to register in succession with the other spaced ports in said face member, each of said curved ports being connected with one of the other ports in the disk by channels formed therein; means for holding the disk member up to the finished face; and means for rotating said member.

8. In a distributor for lubricators the combination of a casting havin a fiat finished face and a head to one si e of the same, a series of openings formed in the head and terminating in ports opening throu h said face, said ports being arranged at di erent distances from the center of said face; a rotatable disk-like member bearing against said face; said member having port- 'in its face; and a disked channels formed therein located at di'erent distances from the axis of rotation thereof to connect one of the ports in the face with the other orts therem in succession; means for holding the disk against the face; a gear about the periphery of the disk; and a driving pinion meshing therewith.

9. A distrlbutor element for lubricators a channel formed ke cover attached thereto having ports formed therein which comprising a gear havingy 1 communicate respectively with the ends of v the channel.

10. A distributor element for lubricators comprising a gear having a radially extending channel formed in its face; and a disklike cover attached thereto having two concentrically formed ports extending therethrough Which communicate respectively with said radial channel, the outermost port being of a length greater than the other'.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS E. COLEMANv 

